Perserverance......

Having Bert has been a learning curve and at times a very steep one. I have been very fortunate to have great communication with his previous owner who has been incredibly patient with me - sometimes phoning up in tears as I have had a bad day and felt that I haven't been able to cope with Bert. Also to hand was Paul Ingram who had been my trainer with my previous horse William and who had put me in touch with Bert...(another really important issue is the opinion of someone who knows your riding. Paul has taught me for some time and was aware of my strengths and weaknesses and also knew Bert and put the two of us together...)

When I got Bert I knew that he was above my ability but that was kind of the point. Having a horse that would challenge me and puch me to improve. While I was not having real issues in the school, hacking out was causing huge problems. Bert would be fine going out but seemed to get anxious and start jogging as soon as we started towards home. After one particularly nasty bolt I really did feel like throwing in the towel - Bert at full gallop out of a bridle path onto a lane is not fun - he is fast and strong and I am no shrinking violet but I could do nothing... that is except for swear - loudly !!! may be it was the shouting that shocked him into stopping but eventually he did.
This gave me a serious dent in my confidence which with a horse like Bert is not good as he looks to me for security and I was just not providing him with enough.

On Paul's advice I started hacking out in a jointed pelham which did work and we started getting there - repeating the same hack every day to give him confidence in his surroundings worked wonders gradually extending the time out. Still schooling - still maintaining his routine - I looked at his feed, I checked his teeth, his saddle, his back - eliminating all possible factors that could be causing him anxiety or pain.

Sometimes horses can be anxious to get home as they are in pain and know that when they get home the saddle and rider comes off !!! As an Equine Sports Massage Therapist I was perhaps more aware than most of possible physical reasons for his behaviour. I even worked on myself as any rider issues can compound any problems a horse might have and both myself and Bert have stiffness on our left sides...

I started adding Protexin to his feed in case his anxiety was causing acid in his stomach which would be causing him pain. I have lost my drift I am trying to remember and get everything out that is important... So sorry should any one ever read this....

Ohhh yes pain - well we couldn't find anything wrong so it was just him being an arse !!! I kept having lessons and everything in the school was going brilliantly - it was such a contradicion and I just didn't understand why things were so different out hacking. The final straw came when I went out with my friend Janette on her new horse and Berts field mate Beau. we had a great hack out, once again as soon as Bert got a sense that we were heading for home and he started jogging and messing about but I sat still kept my leg softly secure - I was talking to him, to Janette keeping him occupied at last he seemed to settle and all was good then out of nowhere as we were almost home he just went - properly full gallop on the road around a blind bend narrowly missing an oncoming car - I banged it with my foot that is how close we were. How we missedd that car I have no idea... I had no choice but to sit ride him and try to stop him. I was also petrified for Janette in case Beau decided to follow !!! We galloped past home and it was only then that he slowed down - I think once he realised he had gone past his destination... HOME.

I cannot put into words how scared I was - Once we had stopped I turned him around and we walked home - he was like a little lamb you would never have imagined he had just been galloping down the road... ABSOLUTE MADDNESS. For crying out loud I am a forty year old mother - I am not meant to be galloping on bolting horses, completely out of control down road dodging oncoming cars !!! He had to Go... it was a complete no brainer.... On that bobshell I am going to sign off now..